Middlesbrough boss Garry Monk has identified Norwich midfielder Jonny Howson as one of his top summer transfer targets, The Gazette understands.

Boro are in the market for attacking options after the club sanctioned Denmark winger Viktor Fischer's move to Mainz earlier this week, and Monk has also told Stewart Downing that he is free to find a new club.

After trimming his first-team squad, with Julien de Sart having departed and Antonio Barragan set for Real Betis, Monk is now keen to add new faces - and is hoping to beat former club Leeds to the punch by launching a bid for Howson.

Boro are understood to be willing to meet Norwich’s £5m asking price for the 29-year-old, who started out as a Leeds trainee and is keen for a move back to the North with his young family.

Norwich's top-brass were keen to extend the player's contract at Carrow Road, despite him still having two years on his current deal, but Howson is thought to have made his mind up - and wants a move this summer.

“The aim is to keep our best players together and the ones we want. But it never becomes an ideal situation where you sell a set of players you don’t want and bring in the set you do want. Very rarely does it happen that seamlessly.

"Sometimes things happen you don’t expect. Steve (Stone) has spoken about the financial situation and we need to sell to bring in players.

“Unfortunately in that scenario you are waiting for someone to come and buy a player and that can be a quick process or it can be August 31.”

Howson has scored 24 times for Norwich and his goal-scoring threat would be a welcome boost to a relegated Boro side who struggled in the final third in their one season back in the Premier League under Aitor Karanka.